Julia Marianne Eccard

Julia M. (Fries) Eccard, 91, passed away peacefully on December 10, 2025, at her daughter’s house in East Washington, following a brief period of rapidly declining health.

Julia was born on November 11, 1934, in Eschenz, Switzerland to Johan and Marie Fries. She lived in Switzerland until 1959, and then moved to East Washington to be with her soon-to-be husband, Hans Eccard. Hans had come to East Washington in 1955 to help work on the chicken farm owned by distant relatives, Rudolph and Margaretha Eccardt. Hans had previously worked on Julia’s family farm in Switzerland.

When she arrived in East Washington, Julia could not speak a word of English, but soon found herself learning the language and working tirelessly alongside Hans, Rudolph and Margaretha to transform the chicken farm into a very prosperous dairy farm.

Hans and Julia were married on April 18, 1959, and spent the next 55 years together living and working on the farm before Hans passed away in 2014. Julia worked hard all her life, and stayed physically active up until the month prior to her passing. She loved gardening, cooking and taking care of her many horses, cats and dogs during her lifetime, and cherished the visits from her many friends, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The grandchildren and great grandchildren will dearly miss “Farmer Nanny”. Friends and family members will miss the many different kinds of cookies that she spent time making and giving away during the weeks before Christmas, especially this Christmas.

Julia was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and her brother, Hans. She is survived by her daughter Marianne (James) Garvin, her son George (Sandy) Eccard, and her son John (Becca) Eccard. She is also survived by her six grandchildren, Greg Garvin (Kristen) and Tyler Garvin (Caitlyn), Ryan Eccard (Amy) and Kristi Eccard (Phil), and Patrick Eccard (Alyssa) and Megan Eccard (Nate). Julia is also survived by 12 great grandchildren, Margaret, Charlie, Rudy, Greer, Maude, Victoria, Charlotte, Brody, Brantley, Brennon, Audrey, and Weston.

There will be a graveside service in the spring at the East Washington cemetery, where her ashes will rest with those of her husband. A notice will be placed on the Holt Woodbury Funeral Home website when a date is determined for the service.

Marianne would like to thank the members of the Granite VNA Hospice Team for their assistance and guidance during the time she cared for her mother at home, particularly Kate, Kirby, Kim, Rachel and John. If you would like to make a donation to the Granite VNA in memory of Julia, you can send it to: Granite VNA, 30 Pillsbury Street, Concord, NH 03301.

Arrangements are under the care of Holt-Woodbury Funeral Home. www.holtwoodburyfh.com.